The S.D. Holden F6 (GER Class G69) 2-4-2T Locomotives

Designed by S.D.Holden,
the F6 was the last of the 2-4-2T tanks developed by the Great Eastern Railway (GER). Visually they looked very similar
to T.W.Worsdell's
F4 and F5 classes, although the cab side windows
can be used for identification purposes. Two batches totalling only twenty locomotives were built between 1911 and 1912.

The F6s were built with high GER cabs, Ramsbottom safety valves, and condensing gear. From 1924, the LNER started
to lower the cab roof by about 7in to bring them within the LNER loading gauge. The safety valves were gradually replaced with
Ross pop safety valves from 1926.

The F6s spent virtually their entire lives in the East Anglia area and especially on the GER London suburban services.
They started to move away from the London suburban services with the advent of the
N7 0-6-2Ts. The last were displaced from London with
the arrival of the Thompson L1 2-6-4Ts.
The displaced F6s replaced the F3s which were being withdrawn from rural services in East Anglia.

All of the F6s survived into Nationalisation in 1948, but 1950s dieselisation resulted in rapid withdrawals between
1955 and 1958.

Technical Details

Cylinders (x2):

17.5x24in.

Motion:

Stephenson

slide valves

Boiler:

Max. Diameter:

4ft 2in

Pressure:

180psi

Diagram No.:

34

Heating Surface:

Total:

1114.7 sq.ft.

Firebox:

96.7 sq.ft.

Tubes:

1018.0 sq.ft. (227x 1.625in)

Grate Area:

15.2 sq.ft.

Wheels:

Leading:

3ft 9in

Coupled:

5ft 4in

Trailing:

3ft 9in

Tractive Effort:

17,571lb

(@ 85% boiler pressure)

Total Wheelbase:

23ft

Engine Weight:

56 tons 9cwt

(full)

Max. Axle Load:

17 tons 3cwt

Coal Capacity:

3 tons 0cwt

Water Capacity:

1450 gallons

Preservation

The last F6s were withdrawn in 1958, and none survived into preservation.